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Data from the National Walkers' Health Study showed that those who either met or exceeded the American Heart Association's exercise recommendations of 2½ hours of weekly activity by walking had a lower risk of early mortality associated with stroke, diabetes and heart disease compared with those who walked less. The results were published in PLOS One.

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People with a poor sense of smell have a greater chance of dying earlier than those with a good nose for odors, according to a study published in the Annals of Neurology. Researchers gave participants a "scratch and sniff" test of 40 everyday odors, and found that those who scored 20 or less had a four-times greater chance of dying within a four-year range than did those who scored highest. The likelihood of death "increased progressively with worse performance in the smell identification test and was highest in those with the worst smelling ability," said Davangere Devanand, co-author of the study.

A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association found patients with high blood pressure treated with folic acid plus enalapril were 21% less likely to experience stroke during the median follow-up of 4.5 years, compared with those who received enalapril alone. The findings, derived from 20,000 adults in China, also linked folic acid supplementation to lower composite risk of heart attack, stroke and heart-related death.

Obesity rates among Americans overall have remained flat, but the percentage of people with extreme obesity -- those who are 100 or more pounds overweight, with a BMI of 40 or more -- has increased, the CDC says. The percentage of people who are extremely obese rose from 2.8% in 1994 to 6.3% in 2010, the CDC said.

Children born to mothers who ate more peanuts or tree nuts while pregnant were less likely to be allergic to nuts than were peers whose mothers had lower nut consumption, according to a study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

Recent research adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the cardioprotective benefits of having a pet, especially a dog, according to physician Sandra Fryhofer. Pets are associated with reduced heart disease risk through lower blood pressure and in some cases lower cholesterol, as well as increased exercise among owners who walk with their canine friends. Also, dogs provide emotional support and help humans deal with stress, which also helps protect the heart.